Friday, November 20, 2009 East Central Illinois

White case settlement forces education of Urbana employees

By: Amy F. Reiter

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Saturday, December 20, 2008

URBANA – As terms of a Jon White-related settlement, the Urbana school district must educate its employees about their responsibilities as mandated reporters – people who work with children and are required to report suspicions or knowledge about child abuse or neglect.

That education is part of the wording of a settlement made between the district and parents of one of the victims of White, the former Urbana teacher convicted of 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, eight in Champaign County and two in McLean County.

The victim's parents – called John and Julie Doe-1 in the settlement – were in court on Friday afternoon to finalize the settlement, represented by Champaign lawyer Steve Amjad. Associate Judge Brian McPheters presided.

The parents also negotiated that Urbana schools be required to contact any prospective employee's former employers regarding the employee's conduct and to document the contact.

The settlement also requires the district to maintain a written policy informing both employees and the community about the responsibilities of those who know or suspect child abuse.

The child – now 9 years old and called Jane Doe-1 in the settlement – also receives the bulk of a monetary settlement from the district.

In total, Urbana schools agreed to pay $308,500 to settle the family's claim. Of that, $200,000 will go into a structured settlement for the child, to begin paying out when she turns 18.

In court, John Doe-1 said his daughter doesn't know or understand what happened to her regarding White while she was a student at Thomas Paine Elementary School. White is now serving a 60-year sentence.

John Doe-1 said he knows that one day he and his wife will have to "have a discussion with (Jane Doe-1) about it," he said. "Until that day happens, we don't want to do anything that causes her to remember."

He said he did not want his daughter "to understand or to know the source of the funds" in her settlement, hoping she would see at least the first few years as any other college fund.

Under the settlement, though, Jane Doe-1 would have the money in installments until she turns 30, regardless of whether she goes to college. At 30, she will be able to take out the full amount if she chooses. The total payouts by that point are estimated at just over $419,000.

Amjad and his law firm, Meyer Capel, would receive $100,000 from the settlement. When McPheters questioned the amount, Amjad said he charged $180 an hour, while other attorneys at his firm charge from between $125 to $250 an hour. He said he charged at the lower end of the lawyers from his firm who have worked on the case.

John and Julie Doe-1 would receive $8,500, which would go toward costs such as therapy and a $1,200 fee for Urbana attorney Larry Silkwood, the lawyer appointed by the court to make sure the girl's interests are protected.

The parents said they felt the settlement was fair, and that this settled their claims with Urbana schools.

Silkwood said he approved of the amount, saying it was clear the parents "did not wish to have this money available" for their own uses.

Both Silkwood and the parents requested the settlement document – including the terms regarding school district actions – be sealed, to which McPheters agreed.

Colette McCarty of Robbins, Schwartz, Nicholas, Lifton & Taylor of Decatur represented the Urbana school board. She said she could not provide any further information. Neither Amjad nor Julie or John Doe-1 would comment on the case.

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